Tube flaring tool



May 17, 1960 G. E. FRANCK TUBE FLARING TOOL Filed Aug. 10, 1956 Geqyei fi twk,

Unite TUBE FLARING TOOL George E. Franck, Riverside, 11]., assignor to The Impenal Brass Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Illinois Application August 10, 1956, Serial No. 603,394

8 Claims. (Cl. 153-81) an advancing, rotating flaring cone, certain irregularities may be formed in the surface of the tube by the action of the cone, requiring a subsequent burnishing or lapping operation for their removal. It is desirable that such burnishing be accomplished by the same means as effects the flaring, and it is further desirable that the burnishing means be simple in construction and in operation.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a flaring tool having new and improved means incorporated therein for effecting a burnishing operation.

Another object is to provide a new and improved flaring tool wherein the elements are yieldably urged into tube flaring relationship, are disconnectable to allow unlimited burnishing action, and arearranged so that the urging means may act to provide automatically a predetermined limited amount of burnishing action when de: sired.

Still another object is to. provide such a flaring tool wherein the operating handle is urged by yieldable means into a tube flaring relationship with the flaring means;

cone, and new and improved spring biased, disconnectable clutch means for operating said last named means by said handle.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a flaring tool em-' bodying the invention and having a tube end secured thereto for a flaring and burnishing operation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along the line 22 of Figure 1 but with the elements thereof shown in the position assumed at the end of the flaring operation;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the tool shown in the position assumed during the burnishing operation; 7

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 4-4 of Figure 3; t

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional view of a flaring tool similar to that of Figure 1 but having a modified form of clutch structure, with the elements thereof in the position assumed during a flaring operation; and

tates Patent 9 2,936,816 Patented May 17, 1960 Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the tool of Figure 6 with the elements shown in the position assumed atthe end of a burnishing operation.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, a flaring tool, generally designated 10, is shown to comprise a frame member 11 of conventional yoke construction adapted to carry suitable tube clamping means 12. for retaining fixedly, relative to the frame member, a tube end 20 of a tube to be flared. Extending through a suitable threaded bore 11a provided in frame member 11 so as to be tbreadedly movable longitudinally toward and away from tube end 20 in clamping means 12, is an exteriorly threaded sleeve 13 having a radially enlarged outer end 13a and through which rotatably extends a supporting rod 14. At the inner end of rod 14, adjacent clamping means 12, is fixedly mounted a flaring cone 15 of suitable sleeve 13, rotation of the handle effects threaded movement of the sleeve, together with rotation of the flare ing cone carried by the rod 14. Such movement effects the desired flaring operation. Movement of the handle on the rod longitudinally outwardly to withdraw pin 17 from recess 13b disconnects the handle from the sleeve and, as the frictional retention of the sleeve on the frame member is greater than the frictional retention of the rod by the sleeve, effects rotation of the rod and flaring cone without concurrent advancement or withdrawal thereof. This effects the desired burnishing 7 operation. As the advancing and withdrawing operation of the tool is the more common function, a springrneansj 18 may be provided to clutch the handle and'sleeve to-; gether by positioning the handle longitudinally inwardly with the pin 17 received in recess 13b. Spring means 18; is made relatively strong' to assure the inward drawing" of the rod notwithstanding a substantial frictional en! ga'gement of the rod and cone with the sleeve due to. the: relatively large force acting between the tube end and. the cone. Spring 18 is, however, sufficiently yieldable to permit ready manipulation of the handle to the longi-Qj tudinally outer position to disengage the clutch means; Sleeve 13 is provided with a cylindrical bore 13c,which extends longitudinally completely therethrough, and the diameter of rod 14 is made comparable to the diameter of bore 13c to allow ready rotation of the rod within the sleeve while maintaining these elements in coaxial relationship. p

Flaring cone 15 may be of a faceted, chromium plated type affording improved working action against the, tube end. The cone is provided with a radial, annular:

face 15a which is yieldably forced into abutment with the longitudinal inner end 13d of sleeve 13 by the action of spring 18 on the head 19a of a stud 19 axially, fixedly secured to the longitudinal outer end of rod 14. Extendtion of the handle 16 which recess is arranged to receive spring means 18 and through which stud 19 extends intoi threaded, secured relationship with the rod end 1 4a' The inner, radial surface 16c of recess 16b acts to 'rc tain one end of spring means 18 and stud head 19a serves as the opposite retaining means therefor.

Reference now being had particularly to Figure 2, it may be seen that, when handle 16 is clutched in with pin 17 received in recess 11%, rotation of the handle in the' suitable direction effects threaded advancement of sleeve 13 to force flaring cone 15 against tube end and effect the desired flare as seen in Figure 2. To effect a burnishing of the flared tube end, as best seen in Figure 3, handle 16 is unclutched from the sleeve against the action of spring 18 by movement of the handle longi tudinally outwardly until pin 17 is fully withdrawn from recess 13b, allowing the handle to be rotated in either direction without effecting rotation of the sleeve. During this rotation, the substantial force of spring 18 causes pin 17 to slide over the outer end surface 13a of the sleeve. When approximately one complete revolution of the handle has been made, the pin, upon arriving at a position longitudinally outwardly of recess 13b will normally be forced by the action of spring 18 back into the recess. However, if desired, an additional revolution or a plurality of additional revolutions may be had without engagement of the pin with the sleeve in recess 13!) by the operator applying a suitable longitudinally outward pressure during rotation of the handle when the pin is disposed longitudinally outwardly of the recess.

In Figures 6 and 7, a modified form of flaring tool 110 is shown, generally similar to the flaring tool it of Figures 1 to 5, but having a modified clutch means incorporating a camrning sleeve end surface. In this embodiment, sleeve end surface 113a, while extending generally transaxially of the sleeve, is generally helical so that one edge 113e of recess 11% is disposed longitudinally outwardly of the circumferentially opposite edge 113} of the recess. Thus, when handle 116 is unclutched from the sleeve by being moved outwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 6, and the handle rotated in a direction so that pin 117 moves from edge 1132 over the surface 113a to edge 113 edge 113e is automatically disposed in the path of the pin as it moves across recess 113b. This assures the abutment of the pin with the edge 113a and precludes inadvertent continued rotation of the handle past the recess, thereby automatically limiting the burnishing operation to a single revolution of the handle. If, however, it is desired to continue the burnishing operation for an additional revolution, or more, the handle may be urged longitudinally outwardly against the action of the spring 118, as described above relative to the flaring tool 10. In all other respects, the functioning of the flaring tool 110 is similar to the functioning of during tool 10.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in construction and arrangement may be made without departing.

from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A tube flaring and burnishing tool, comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a rod carried by the frame; means associated with the rod and frame for effecting longitudinal movement of the rod relative to the frame; a handle rotatably fixed and longitudinally movable on the rod operable to effect rotation. thereof; clutch means biased to interconnect said first named means and said handle whereby said rod may be concurrently rotated and longitudinally moved, and operable against the bias thereof to disconnect said first named means whereby said rod may be rotated unlimitedly while being longitudinally fixed, said cluch means being further arranged to permit slightly less than one revolution of said rod while said first named means and handle are disconnected and then effect an automatic interconnection thereof; and flaring means associated with the rod to have flaring and burnishing engagement with a tube end supported on the frame.

2. A tube flaring and burnishing tool, comprising: a frame adapted to supoprt tube clamping means; a member threadedly connected to the frame for rotative movement and, as an incident of said rotative movement, longitudinal movement; a rod rotatably associated with the member for longitudinal movement therewith; operating means rotatively fixedly associated with the rod operable to effect rotation thereof; clutch means biased to retain said member and said rod against relative rotation whereby said rod may be concurrently rotated and longitudinally moved by rotational manipulation of said operating means, and positionable against the bias there of to disconnect said member from said rod whereby said rod may have unlimited rotation while being longitudinally fixed, said clutch means being further arranged to permit slightly less than one revolution of said rod while said first named means and handle are disconnected and then effect an automatic interconnection thereof; and flaring means associated with the rod to have flaring and burnishing engagement with a tube end supported on the frame.

3. A tube flaring and burnishing tool, comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a rod carried by the frame; means associated with the rod and frame for effecting longitudinal movement of the rod relative to the frame; means associated with the rod operable to effect rotation thereof; clutch means to interconnect said first two named means against substantial relative movement whereby said rod may be concurrently rotated and longitudinally moved, and operable to disconnect said last two named means whereby said rod may be rotated unlimitedly while being longitudinally fixed, said clutch means comprising a pin on one of said first two named means and a cooperating slot having a circumferential extent only slightly greater than the corresponding extent of the pin, said slot being disposed in the other of said first two named means; means biasing the clutch means to interconnect the first two named means; and flaring means associated with the rod to have flaring and burnishing engagement with a tube end supported on the frame.

4. A tube flaring and burnishing tool, comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a rod carried by the frame; means associated with the rod and frame for effecting longitudinal movement of the rod relative to the frame; a handle rotatively fixed and longitudinally movable on the rod to effect rotation thereof; a clutch, including spring means biasing the clutch, to interconnect said last named means and said handle whereby said rod may be concurrently rotated and longitudinally moved, and operable to disconnect said last two named means against the bias of said spring means whereby said rod may be rotated while being longitudinally fixed, said clutch means being further arranged to permit slightly less than one revolution of said rod while said first named means and handle are disconnected and then effect an automatic interconnection thereof; and flaring means associated with the rod to have flaring and burnishing engagement with a tube end supported on the frame.

5. A tube flaring and burnishing tool comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a tubular sleeve threadedly carried by the frame to be rotated relative to the frame and moved axially as an incident to the rotation, said sleeve having one end with a recess opening axially thereinto, the circumferential extent of said recess being a minor portion of the circumferential extent of said end; a rod rotatively and axially movably carried in the sleeve; a cone on an end of the rod opposite the one end of the sleeve and adapted to flare a tube end; a handle axially movably, non-rotatively carried on the other end of the rod and having a projection receivable in said recess when the handle is in one axial position to effect concurrent rotation of the handle and the sleeve,

aeaaaro and separable from said recess by disposing the handle in another axial position to permit rotation of the handle and rod without rotation of the sleeve; and spring means operably associated with the handle and rod urging the handle axially to the position wherein the projection is received in said recess. 7 i

6. A tube flaring and burnishing tool comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a tubular sleeve threadedly carried by the frame to be rotated relative to the frame and moved axially as an incident to the rotation, said sleeve having one end defined by a generally transaxial, helical surface, with a recess opening axially into said surface and having circumferentially opposite edges disposed at dilferent axial positions; a rod rotatively having a projection receivable in said recess when the handle is in one axial position to effect concurrent rotation of the handle and the sleeve, and separable from said recess by disposing the handle in another axial position to permit rotation of the handle and rod without rotation of the sleeve, whereby movement of said projection in a transaxial plane from one edge causes the projection to strike and be stopped by the other edge to insure its retention in the recess; and means biasing the handle to said one axial position.

7. A tube flaring and burnishing tool comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a tubular sleeve threadedly carried by the frame to be rotated relative to the frame and moved longitudinally as an incident to the rotation, said sleeve having a peripheral annular portion provided with a generally transaxial, helical surface with a recess opening thereinto; a rod rotatively and axially movably carried in the sleeve; a cone on one end of the rod adapted to flare a tube end; a handle axially movably, non-rotatively carried on the rod and having a projection receivable in said recess when the handle is in one axial position to elfect concurrent rotation of the handle and the sleeve, and separable from said recess by disposing the handle in another axial position to permit rotation of the handle and carrier member without rotation of the sleeve; and means biasing the handle to said one axial position. i

8. A tube flaring and burnishing tool comprising: a frame adapted to support tube clamping means; a tubular sleeve threadedly carried by the frame to be concurrently rotated and longitudinally moved relative to the frame and having a peripheral annular portion provided with a transaxial surface-with a recess opening thereinto; a rod rotatively and axially movably. carried in the sleeve; a

coneon an inner end of the rod adapted to flare a tube end; a-handle axially movably, non-rotatively carried 'on the outer end of the rod and having a projection receivable in said recess when the handle is in one axial position to efiect concurrent rotation of the handle and the sleeve, and separable from said recess by disposition of the handle in another axial position to permit rotation of the handle and carrier member without rotation of the sleeve; a stud secured to said rod and having a head disposed outwardly of a portion of the handle; and a spring for urging the handle to said one axial position, said spring extending between said stud head and the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,341,796 Gorman -rlune 1, 1920 1,355,659 Evslin Oct. 12, 1920 2,277,410 Neukirch Mar. 24, 1942 2,707,511 Franck May 3, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,016,338. France Nov. 7, 1952 

